University of North Carolina Athletics
Carolina Baseball Signs Nineteen For 2015-16
December 10, 2014 | Baseball
CHAPEL HILL --- The University of North Carolina baseball program once again added a standout class of the nation's top prep talent, signing 19 student-athletes to National Letters of Intent during the early signing period, head coach Mike Fox announced Wednesday. Included in this class are four of the nation's top 75 prospects according to Baseball America and six of the top 200 prospects according to Perfect Game.
The 19 student-athletes will enroll at UNC in August 2015 and will take the field for the Tar Heels in the 2016 season.
“My staff has put together another outstanding class and we are very excited to bring these young men to the University of North Carolina,” Fox said. "Coach Jackson has once again done a tremendous job leading our recruiting efforts along with the tireless work of Coach Forbes and Coach Gaines. I know that this group is made up of the type of student-athletes who will make our University proud while competing at the highest level both on the field and in the classroom.”
On the national level, Carolina has signed four of the nation's top 75 players according to Baseball America: No. 47 Jahmai Jones (OF, Norcross, Ga), No. 49 Desmond Lindsay (OF/1B, Sarasota, Fla.), No 57 Brendon Little (LHP, Berwyn, Pa.) and No. 74 Wyatt Cross (C, Broomfield, Colo.).
Perfect Game tabbed six players in its Top 200 in the country: No. 17 Jones, No. 40 Cross, No. 52 Lindsay, No. 124 Little, No. 174 Cody Roberts (C/INF/RHP, Alpharetta, Ga.) and No. 189 Brendan Illies (C/RHP, Edgewood, Wash.).
Twelve of the 19 players in this class are ranked in the top 25 players in their respective states - Jones (No. 4 in Georgia), Cross (No. 3 in Colorado), Lindsay (No. 11 in Florida), Little (No. 6 in Pennsylvania), Roberts (No. 25 in Georgia), Illies (No. 2 in Washington), Cole Aker (No. 10 in North Carolina), Rodney Hutchison Jr. (No. 5 in Ohio), Sage Diehm (No. 1 in Idaho), J.T. Rogoszewski (No. 1 in West Virginia), Kyle Datres (No. 12 in Pennsylvania) and Josh Hiatt (No. 17 in North Carolina).
| Name | Position | Ht./Wt. | Hometown (High School) |
| Cole Aker | RHP | 6-2/185 | Kernersville, N.C. (NW Guilford) |
| Wyatt Cross | C | 6-3/197 | Broomfield, Colo. (Legacy) |
| Kyle Datres | RHP/INF | 6-0/180 | Williamsport, Pa. (Loyalsock Township) |
| Sage Diehm | LHP | 5-11/185 | Nampa, Idaho (Skyview) |
| Cole Gibbs | OF | 6-3/185 | Tampa, Fla. (Jesuit) |
| Jordan Gubelman | RHP | 6-4/220 | Sarasota, Fla. (Sarasota) |
| Josh Hiatt | RHP | 6-0/180 | Mooresville, N.C. (Providence) |
| Rodney Hutchison Jr. | RHP | 6-5/225 | Mason, Ohio (Mason) |
| Brendan Illies | C/RHP | 6-1/195 | Edgewood, Wash. (Puyallup) |
| Jahmai Jones | OF | 6-0/210 | Roswell, Ga. (Wesleyan) |
| Utah Jones | INF | 6-0/165 | Boone, N.C. (Watauga) |
| Josh Ladowski | OF | 5-10/188 | Mooresville, N.C. (Lake Norman) |
| Desmond Lindsay | OF/1B | 6-0/200 | Brandenton, Fla. (Out-of-Door Academy) |
| Brendon Little | LHP | 6-2/195 | Malvern, Pa. (Conestoga) |
| Brandon Riley | OF | 6-1/175 | Burlington, N.C. (Williams) |
| Cody Roberts | C/INF/RHP | 6-0/195 | Alpharetta, Ga. (Blessed Trinity) |
| J.T. Rogoszewski | RHP | 6-3/180 | Scott Depot, W.Va. (Hurricane) |
| Taylor Sugg | RHP | 6-0/155 | Greensboro, N.C. (Southern Guilford) |
| Logan Welch | RHP | 6-2/205 | Winston-Salem, N.C. (R.J. Reynolds) |
Cole Aker
Kernersville, N.C., Northwest Guilford High School, RHP, 6-2, 185
Ranked the No. 2 right-handed pitcher and the No. 10 player overall in the state of North Carolina by Perfect Game • Also considered the No. 92 right-hander in the country by PG • Named to the all-tournament team at the 2014 WWBA World Championship • Coached by Sonny Gann at Northwest Guilford High School.
Wyatt Cross
Broomfield, Colo., Legacy High School, C, 6-3, 197
Ranked the No. 40 player in the country by Perfect Game and the No. 74 player nationally by Baseball America • Also ranked the No. 2 catcher in the nation and the No. 3 player overall in the state of Colorado by PG • Named to the 2014 Perfect Game Underclass All-America First Team • Coached by Ty Giordano at Legacy High School.
Kyle Datres
Williamsport, Pa., Loyalsock Township High School, RHP/INF, 6-0, 180
Ranked the No. 57 shortstop in the country and the No. 3 shortstop in the state of Pennsylvania by Perfect Game • Also considered the No. 12 overall player in the Keystone State • Two-way player who earned Underclass High Honorable Mention from PG in 2013 and 2014 • Coached by Jeremy Eck at Loyalsock Township High School.
Sage Diehm
Nampa, Idaho, Skyview High School, LHP, 5-11, 185
Considered the No. 1 overall player in the state of Idaho and the No. 40 left-handed pitcher in the country by Perfect Game • Named to the all-tournament team at the 2014 PG/Evoshield National Championship • Earned Underclass High Honorable Mention from PG in 2014 • Coached by Ryan Bobo at Skyview High School.
Cole Gibbs
Tampa, Fla., Jesuit High School, OF, 6-3, 185
Ranked the No. 120 outfielder in the country and the No. 15 outfielder in the state of Florida by Perfect Game • Earned Underclass High Honorable Mention from PG in 2014 • High school teammate of current Tar Heels Adrian Chacon and Spencer Trayner • Coached by Miguel Menendez at Jesuit High School.
Jordan Gubelman
Sarasota, Fla., Sarasota High School, RHP, 6-4, 220
Ranked the No. 18 right-handed pitcher and the No. 56 overall player in the state of Florida by Perfect Game • Also considered the No. 136 right-hander in the country • Earned Underclass Second-Team All-America honors in 2014 after receiving Underclass Honorable Mention from PG in 2013 • Named Most Valuable Pitcher at the 2014 PG High School Showdown • Coached by Clyde Metcalf at Sarasota High School.
Josh Hiatt
Mooresville, N.C., Providence High School, RHP, 6-0, 180
Ranked the No. 5 right-handed pitcher and the No. 17 overall player in the state of North Carolina by Perfect Game • Earned 2014 Underclass High Honorable Mention and 2013 Underclass Honorable Mention from PG • Named to the Top Prospect Team at the 2013 Atlantic Coast Top Prospect Showcase • Coached by Danny Hignight at Providence High School.
Rodney Hutchison Jr.
Mason, Ohio, Mason High School, RHP, 6-5, 225
Ranked the No. 3 right-handed pitcher and the No. 5 overall player in the state of Ohio by Perfect Game • Also considered the No. 97 right-hander nationally by PG • Earned 2014 Underclass High Honorable Mention from PG • Also plays basketball at Mason • Coached by Curt Bly at Mason High School.
Brendan Illies
Edgewood, Wash., Puyallup High School, C/RHP, 6-1, 195
Ranked the No. 1 catcher and the No. 2 player overall in the state of Washington by Perfect Game • Also considered the No. 23 catcher nationally by PG • After earning Underclass Second Team All-America honors in 2013, was named to the PG Underclass First Team All-America list in 2014 • Named to the Top Prospect Team at the 2014 National Showcase in Fort Myers, Fla. • Coached by Marc Wiese at Puyallup High School.
Jahami Jones
Roswell, Ga., Wesleyan High School, OF, 6-0, 210
Ranked the No. 17 player in the country by Perfect Game and the No. 47 player nationally by Baseball America • Also considered the No. 4 outfielder in the country by PG and the No. 4 overall player in the state of Georgia • Named PG Underclass First Team All-America in 2014 after earning third-team honors in 2013 • Participated in the 2014 Perfect Game All-American Classic in San Diego • Coached by Brian Krehmeyer at Roswell High School.
Utah Jones
Boone, N.C., Watauga High School, INF, 6-0, 165
Ranked the No. 4 shortstop and the No. 33 overall player in the state of North Carolina by Perfect Game • Earned Underclass High Honorable Mention from PG in 2014 • Brother Ryder was a second-round pick of the San Francisco Giants in 2013 and his father Billy is the head baseball coach at Appalachian State • Coached by Pete Hardee at Watauga High School.
Josh Ladowski
Mooresville, N.C., Lake Norman High School, OF, 5-10, 188
Ranked the No. 8 outfielder and the No. 31 overall player in the state of North Carolina by Perfect Game • Also considered the No. 127 outfielder nationally • Earned Underclass High Honorable Mention from PG in 2014 • Also plays football and was named North Carolina Gatorade Player of the Year in 2014 • Coached by Robert Little at Lake Norman High School.
Desmond Lindsay
Bradenton, Fla., Out-of-Door Academy, OF, 6-1, 175
Ranked the No. 49 player in the country by Baseball America and the No. 52 player nationally by Perfect Game • Also considered the No. 1 first baseman and the No. 11 player overall by Perfect Game • PG rates him as the nation's No. 4 first baseman • Named to the Underclass Second Team All-America Team in 2014 and earned Underclass High Honorable Mention from PG in 2013 • Named to the all-tournament team at the 2014 PG WWBA World Championship • Coached by Brett Timmons at Out-of-Door Academy.
Brendon Little
Malvern, Pa., Conestoga High School, LHP, 6-2, 195
Ranked the No. 57 player in the country by Baseball America • Considered the top left-handed pitcher in Pennsylvania and the No. 14 lefty in the country by Perfect Game • Earned Underclass Honorable Mention from PG in 2014 • Coached by John Vogan at Conestoga High School.
Brandon Riley
Burlington, N.C., Williams High School, OF, 6-1, 175
Ranked the No. 11 outfielder and the No. 36 overall player in the state of North Carolina by Perfect Game • Also considered the No. 146 outfielder nationally • Earned Underclass High Honorable Mention from PG in 2014 • Named to the all-tournament team at the 2012 PG WWBA Underclass World Championship • Coached by Jason Knapp at Williams High School.
Cody Roberts
Alpharetta, Ga., Blessed Trinity High School, C/INF/RHP, 6-0, 195
Ranked the No. 4 catcher and the No. 25 player overall in the state of Georgia by Perfect Game • Also considered the No. 20 catcher nationally by PG • Earned Underclass Honorable Mention in 2013 and Underclass High Honorable Mention in 2014 from PG • Named to the Top Prospect Team at the 2014 National Showcase in Fort Myers, Fla. • Coached by Andy Harlin at Blessed Trinity High School.
J.T. Rogoszewski
Scott Depot, W.Va., Hurricane High School, RHP, 6-3, 180
Ranked the top overall player in the state of West Virginia and the No. 139 right-handed pitcher in the country by Perfect Game • Earned Underclass High Honorable Mention from PG in 2014 • Named to the Top Prospect Team at the 2014 Ohio Valley Showcase and the all-tournament team at the 2013 16U Perfect Game World Series • Coached by Brian Sutphin at Hurricane High School.
Taylor Sugg
Greensboro, N.C., Southern Guilford High School, RHP, 6-0, 155
Ranked the No. 25 right-handed pitcher and the No. 80 overall player in the state of North Carolina by Perfect Game • Earned Underclass Honorable Mention from PG in 2014 • Competed at the 2014 PG WWBA World Championship • Coached by Jeff Carter at Southern Guilford High School.
Logan Welch
Winston-Salem, N.C., R.J. Reynolds High School, RHP, 6-2, 205
Ranked the No. 11 right-handed pitcher and the No. 28 overall player in the state of North Carolina by Perfect Game • Also considered the No. 244 right-hander in the country by PG • Earned Underclass High Honorable Mention from PG in 2014 • Named to the all-tournament team at the 2013 PG WWBA Underclass World Championship • Coached by his father Doug at R.J. Reynolds High School.
